The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1887-04-20
E & q G a f / 0 D a I
The Study of Grammar.
by FRANK EVANS.

There is Il tendency now to shor-
ten the time that was formerly Civ
on TO the study of Grammar and to
introduce instead branches in the
natural sciences. The latter step
IS certainly correct, but the former
is at least questionable. If, in the
progress Of knowledge IT be found
necessary to introduce new branch
cS Of study, it should not be done
at the expense Of excluding others
equally as useful.
Some educators contend that it
is not necessary to learn by rotc
the amount Of technical matter or
dinarily found in grammars. That
persons who are accustomed to the
best forms Of the languages Go not
need grammar teaching. That, st
is an error to repeat at school what
is learned at home; and Il still com
2rmOner mistake to occupy school
time with what is sure to be learn
= ed in the great school Of the world"
There are II few persons who
Craving heard propcrlanguagc spok-
en- ut home, and who ..having read
1.-The. writing Of the best English au-
thors, might write and speak cor
i>rectly without grammar teaching,
but>not SO the general mass. | may
be safely asserted that la &c ma
joritv ofpupils have not been accus-
,tonied to hear correct language
spoken a5 home, nor can they be
persuaded to read at all. BY the
car alone we are taught TO avoid
,"bOoks is" but Wcthcr we should
z>.,rIl,>1 =, - H., IN1lI.., ,.n N,> a. ~,
bic" u hardly be explained With
out one knowledge of the rules of
grammar. so the proper forms Of
the personal ]pronounS. "I' and me
us and we" cannot be nicely dis
.scrininatcd without the assistance
of grammar.
>Grammar, to my mind, is a most
'impOrtant branch of study, and
should be more thoroughly taught
lby the teachers of this County. If
for no other reason, it should be
ttaught.to fix the minds OF the pupils
upon the language itself.
The ghost of Il good lady once
appeared to her very dear friend,
and,o on being asked if she was hap
py, replied that she had but n de-
sire, that she wight come back to
earth and ask forgiveness for hay
ing attempted 10 teach what she
did not know.
A summer vacation well spent
is the best possible preparation for
u good years work. Ch&ngc Of air,
new associations, ~pcrhap" in the
inOuntains or on the shore Of some
beautiful lake, if there be comhin-
ed pleasure with profit, nothing
more can be desired. THERE'S per-
haps, no more agreeable way of.
spending q vacation than to attend
one of the many summer schools of
obstruction. These schools have
been established for the purpose of
aidifIg teachers in turning vacation
to thebest possible account. There
+ many HhO have not had the adj
vantage Off thorough training. TO
help these, II summer curse of in
struction, presented in such a man
j as not 10 interfere with health,
telaxation, has been prepared. The
listening to q lecture each day, and
and q discussion under the trees
with feliow-teachers, concerning
their vocation, can be made q very
pleasant way to spend a few weeks
during the hot summer months.
When teachers return to their
schools from such q vacation they
wiz have gained not only new ply
steal streng Ut, bht greater mental
vig0r, and Il firmer grasp OF the
leading question pertaining to their
ehCoi-wofk.